Method for Configuring Control Units

Abstract

Method for configuring at least one first functionality of real and/or simulated control units (ECU1, ECU2), wherein the first functionality belongs to a first functionality class (F1, F2), wherein the first functionality comprises at least one function dependent on the first functionality class (F1, F2) and at least one first parameter (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6) dependent on the functionality class (F1, F2), wherein the first functionality is assigned to at least one control unit (ECU1, ECU2), the first functionality class (F1, F2) has, as categories, an else category (ELSE) and at least one first default category (K1, K2, K3, K4), wherein the functionalities in the first functionality class (F1, F2) each belong to a category (K1, K2, K3, K4, ELSE), wherein a first predetermined value (V1, V2, V3, V4) is stored for the at least one first parameter (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6) for the first default category (K1, K2, K3, K4) and, if the first functionality is assigned to the first default category (K1, K2, K3, K4), the first predetermined value (V1, V2, V3, V4) is adopted for the at least one first parameter (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6), wherein, if the first predetermined value (V1, V2, V3, V4) of the parameter (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6) of the first default category (K1, K2, K3, K4) changes, the change is adopted for all functionalities which have already been assigned to the first default category (K1, K2, K3, K4), wherein the control unit (ECU1, ECU2) assigned to the first functionality is configured with the function and the values of the parameters (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6) of the first functionality.

Claims

1. A method for configuring at least one first functionality of real and/or simulated control units the method comprising: assigning at least one control unit to the first functionality, wherein the first functionality belongs to a first functionality class having an else category and at least one default category, wherein the first functionality comprises at least one function dependent on the first functionality class and at least one first parameter dependent on the first functionality class, wherein the functionalities in the first functionality class each belong to at least one category; storing a first predetermined value for the at least one first parameter for the first default category; adopting the first predetermined value for the at least one first parameter, if the first functionality is assigned to the first default category; adopting the change for all functionalities which have already been assigned to the first default category, if the first predetermined value of the parameter of the first default category changes; configuring the control unit assigned to the first functionality with the function and the values of the parameters of the first functionality.

2. The method of 1, wherein the first functionality class has a second default category, wherein a second predetermined value is stored for the at least one first parameter for the second default category and, if the functionality is assigned to the second default category, adopting the second predetermined value is adopted for the at least one first parameter, wherein, if the second predetermined value of the first parameter of the second default category changes, adopting the change for all functionalities which have already been assigned to the second default category.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control units are connected to a common network.

4. The method of claims 1, comprising reading the functionality from a network description file.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising reading the predetermined values from a network description file.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising expanding the first functionality by an additional function and/or an additional parameter by assigning the first functionality to a default category.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising automatically assigning a third functionality assigned to the first functionality class to the first default category if, after an individual change in a value of a parameter of the third functionality, the values of all parameters of the third functionality correspond to the respective predetermined values of the first default category.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising automatically assigning a fourth functionality to the else category if a value of a parameter of the fourth functionality is individually changed and there is no default category whose predetermined values correspond to the parameter values of the fourth functionality.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising generating a third default category from a second functionality in the first functionality class by selecting the second functionality and storing the value of the at least one parameter of the second functionality as a predetermined value for the third default category.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising assigning the functionality to a message or PDU to be transmitted or received by the associated control unit.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising assigning the functionality to a signal to be transmitted or received by the associated control unit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first functionality comprises a second parameter, wherein a predetermined value is not stored for the second parameter in the first default category, keeping the value of the second parameter unchanged upon assigning the functionality to the first default category.

13. A data processing device having a processor unit, wherein the data processing device is designed to carry out the method of claim 1.

14. A computer program product having computer-implemented instructions, which carries out the steps of the method of claim 1 after being loaded and executed in a suitable data processing device.

15. A digital storage medium having electronically readable control signals which can interact with a programmable data processing device such that the method of claim 1 is carried out on the data processing device.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The present disclosure is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. In this case, identical parts are labeled with identical designations. In this example, signals are directly assigned to messages. It goes without saying that signals can also be assigned to PDUs, as described above, and the PDUs can then be assigned to messages. In the drawings:

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an assignment of functionalities to signals,

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of default categories of a functionality class,

[0045] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an assignment of functionalities to signals by means of categories,

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic view of default categories of a functionality class,

[0047] FIG. 5 shows a further schematic view of an assignment of functionalities to signals by means of categories

[0048] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of two configured control units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The illustration in FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an assignment of functionalities to signals. In the example in FIG. 1, six signals SIG1, SIG2, SIG3, SIG4, SIG5, SIG6 are each assigned a functionality. In this case, each row, apart from the first row, shows the properties of a functionality. A functionality in a first function class F1 is respectively assigned to the first signal SIG1, the third signal SIG3, the fifth signal SIG5 and the sixth signal SIG6. A functionality in the second function class F2 is respectively assigned to the second signal SIG2 and the fourth signal SIG4.

[0050] The first function class F1 comprises three parameters P1, P2, P3. The second function class comprises a fourth parameter P4 and a fifth parameter P5. The values of the parameters are individually set for each functionality. In this example, the values of the parameters are integers. Parameters of function classes may also be designed for other types of values. Examples of types of values are floating-point numbers, Boolean variables and character strings.

[0051] In this example, the first function class F1 is the class of the alive counter. The first parameter P1 is a starting value, the second parameter P2 is a stop value and the third parameter P3 is an increment value.

[0052] The first signal SIG1 and the second signal SIG2 are assigned to a first message MES1. The third signal SIG3 and the fourth signal SIG4 are assigned to a second message MES2. The fifth signal SIG5 and the sixth signal SIG6 are assigned to a third message MES3. The first message MES1 and the second message MES2 are assigned to a first control unit ECU1. The third message MES3 is assigned to a second control unit ECU2.

[0053] The illustration in FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of default categories of a functionality class. The function class F1 has two default categories K1, K2. Each default category has three predetermined values V1, V2, V3 for the three parameters P1, P2, P3 of the functionalities in the first function class F1. If a functionality is assigned to the first default category K1, the first predetermined value V1 is adopted for the first parameter P1, the second predetermined value V2 is adopted for the second parameter P2 and the third predetermined value V3 is adopted for the value of the third parameter P3. The third predetermined value V3 is not allocated for the second default category K2. If a functionality is assigned to the second default category K2, the first predetermined value V1 is adopted for the first parameter P1, the second predetermined value V2 is adopted for the second parameter P2 and the value of the third parameter P3 remains unchanged. The value of the third parameter P3 can be individually changed without breaking the assignment of the functionality to the second default category. In addition to the default categories, there is also an ELSE category. The ELSE category does not have any predetermined values. Functionalities in a function class which are not assigned to a default category are automatically assigned to the ELSE category.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an assignment of functionalities to signals by means of categories. Only the differences with respect to the illustration in FIG. 1 are explained below. The functionalities in the first function class are each assigned to a category. The functionality assigned to the first signal SIG1 is assigned to the first default category K1. The functionality assigned to the third signal SIG3 is assigned to the second default category K2. The functionality assigned to the fifth signal SIG5 and the functionalities assigned to the sixth signal SIG6 are assigned to the ELSE category ELSE. The second signal SIG2 and the fourth signal SIG4 are assigned to the second function class F2 and therefore cannot be assigned to a category of the first function class F1.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic view of default categories of a functionality class. Only the differences with respect to the illustration in FIG. 2 are explained below. A third default category K3 is created from the parameter values of the function assigned to the fifth signal SIG5 from FIG. 3. The values of the three parameters P1, P2, P3 become the three predetermined values V1, V2, V3 of the third default category K3. A fourth default category K4 is created. The functionality of the fourth default category K4 has been expanded in comparison with the three other default categories K1, K2, K3. The functionality of the fourth default category K4 belongs to the first function class F1 and, in addition to the three predetermined values V1, V2, V3 already described, comprises a fourth predetermined value V6. The fourth predetermined value V6 is of the type of a Boolean variable and is assigned the value false in this example. The new functionality of the fourth default category makes it possible to switch off the alive counter at the runtime for the purpose of error simulation. In this case, the fourth predetermined value V6 determines whether the alive counter is switched on or switched off at the outset.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an assignment of functionalities to signals by means of categories. Only the differences with respect to the illustration in FIG. 3 are explained below. The functionality assigned to the first signal SIG1 is assigned to the third default category K3. As a result of the assignment, the value of the first parameter P1 is set to the value of the first predetermined value V1 of the third default category K3. As a result of the assignment, the value of the second parameter P2 is likewise set to the value of the second predetermined value V2 of the third default category K3 and the value of the third parameter P3 is set to the value of the third predetermined value V3 of the third default category K3. The three parameter values P1, P2, P3 of the functionality assigned to the fifth signal SIG5 correspond to the three predetermined values V1, V2, V3 of the third default category K3, as a result of which the functionality is automatically assigned to the third default category. The functionality assigned to the third signal SIG3 is assigned to the fourth default category K4, as a result of which the functionality is expanded with the possibility of activating the failure and is provided with a sixth parameter P6. As a result of the functionality being assigned to the fourth default category, the value of the sixth parameter P6 is set to the fourth predetermined value V6 of the fourth default category K4. If the value of the sixth parameter P6 is set to the value true at the runtime, the failure of the alive counter is activated and the alive counter is not updated during subsequent transmissions by the control unit.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of two configured control units. The program code or at least one part of the program code is then created for the control units ECU1, ECU2 from the configured functionalities. The program code is then transmitted to the respective control unit. The first control unit ECU1 is a simulated control unit in this example. A simulator HIL executes the program code created for the first control unit ECU1. The first control unit ECU1 is connected to the second control unit ECU2 via a signal line BUS. The second control unit ECU2 executes the program code created for the second control unit ECU2. The first control unit ECU1 generates the first message MES1 having the first signal SIG1 and the second signal SIG2. In this case, the first signal SIG1 is generated on the basis of the functionality assigned to the first signal and the values of the parameters P1, P2, P3 of the functionality. The second signal SIG2 is generated on the basis of the functionality assigned to the second signal and the values of the parameters P4, P5 of the functionality. The first message MES1 is then transmitted via the signal line BUS. The first control unit ECU1 likewise generates the second message MES2 having the third signal SIG3 and the fourth signal SIG4 on the basis of the functionality assigned to the third signal SIG3 and the functionality assigned to the fourth signal SIG4 and transmits the second message MES2 via the signal line BUS. The second control unit generates the third message MES3 having the fifth signal SIG5 on the basis of the functionality assigned to the fifth signal SIG5 and generates the fourth message MES4 having the sixth signal SIG6 on the basis of the functionality assigned to the sixth signal SIG6. The second control unit transmits the third message MES3 and the fourth message MES4 to the first control unit via the signal line BUS.

[0058] It goes without saying that the method can be extended to any number of control units, messages, signals, functionality classes, parameters and categories.